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What traits and habits have your children picked up from you?

(46 Posts)
littleflo Wed 28-Mar-18 10:01:17

And in what ways are they direct opposites. We had a family discussion last night when my DH. said that ours were more like me than him.

They do have many of my ways. They are all home-bodies with few friends. None of them talk a mile-a-minute. The two eldest do, have practical skills whereas the younger is crack-handed like me. They are all very reserved, which is nor me at all.

littleflo Wed 28-Mar-18 10:02:20

I am the chattered. Not sure if I made that clear

Luckygirl Wed 28-Mar-18 10:05:14

Yes - trying to do too much!!

cornergran Wed 28-Mar-18 10:09:29

An over developed sense of responsibility seems to be our family theme.

KatyK Wed 28-Mar-18 10:30:27

Our DD is not like me in many ways - thankfully. She is more like DH in many ways. She is confident, positive and seems happy with her lot. My DH is the same. I am a bit of a miserable old so-and-so - but then her upbringing was totally different to mine. I tried to make sure of that and seem to have succeeded smile

paddyann Wed 28-Mar-18 10:53:22

they have the same hobbies and interests ,both could talk for Scotland in the Olympics ..and win ...both politcally motivated ,both got hearts of gold and would help anyone in any way they could dont hold grudges and are a joy to be with.Couldn't be more like my OH and me.I think thats why we all get along so well and spend so much time together .

Teetime Wed 28-Mar-18 11:28:16

Both girls are highly independent, opinionated, spendthrift darlings - like Mamma! smile

Nanabilly Wed 28-Mar-18 11:41:08

We have one who is like me and the other is getting more like his dad as he gets older , in looks and personality.
I am friendly and can talk to anyone , love to make people laugh, pretty poor with money. Our eldest is just the same.
Hubby is more reserved but once he gets to know someone he is funny and friendly .far less talkative than me and if he is in the company of anyone he is unsure of or does not like you can hardly get a word out of him . Excellent with money. Our other child is exactly the same as him.
Both hubby and youngest child have a very good sense of knowing a good person from a bad person. They immediately pick up on the not so nice traits in a personality. They are always right but we don't always find out straight away .

Nonnie Wed 28-Mar-18 11:50:45

One very like his father, never been known to throw anything away.

One buys the most thoughtful presents, things which are so very right for the person he has bought the gift for. I think that comes from me but he is better at it. He is very detail conscious.

One is super intelligent which neither of his parents are! He is not good with people who don't try but has endless patience with those who are doing their best which is from me.

One very untidy son - DH. One quite tidy but recognises that a house is a home - me. One ultra tidy and clean - no idea where that came from.

All 3 very kind with strong moral standards - DH & me. None of them would knowingly hurt anyone.

littleflo Wed 28-Mar-18 12:17:56

This is a subject I find fascinating. Where people have very opposite personalities, I wonder what has influenced them. Maybe it is genetics. My 2 nephews are exactly like my brother. Very quiet, but also disdainful.

Greyduster Wed 28-Mar-18 12:24:31

Hmm! My son is very like me - he is gregarious, mercurial, wears his heart on his sleeve, is extremely loyal, suffers from verbal diarrhoea and lacks self confidence. We also share a ridiculous sense of humour. As for DD, she is not much like me, but has her father’s quiet traits. She is single minded, sensitive, compassionate, keeps her cards very close to her chest, does pretty much everything by the book, and likes to think the best of people (even those who don’t deserve it!). What both my children have inherited from both DH and I is a tremendous work ethic and the willingness to go the extra mile in anything they take on. We are very proud of them.

allsortsofbags Wed 28-Mar-18 13:39:18

Both DD's are more like me than DH but thankfully they take after him in that neither of then have my dyslexia.

Both said that seeing me get a BA and 2 MSC's taught them that there is a way to succeed in life so they have a "can do" approach.

They know that came to me from my Mum and we can all see some strong traits in GD.

Both DD's have been know to say "I open my mouth and my mother comes out" :-)

And most recently GD 7yrs, said in class "what do you want me to believe? what you say or what you do? When her teacher asked where she'd hear it "Granny says it" Thank goodness I'm not given to "language" or she'd be in trouble and so would I.

Both have good qualifications and are strong women and work in traditional male roles so follow me in that respect.

However, they have benefitted from DH's attitude that women can do any job. He was always happy to have a woman on the flight-deck so they've had some good role models all round.

I don't know how much of them being more like me intellectually, psychologically and emotionally is because we are all women. I do wonder if we'd had a boy if there would have been more of a difference. Interesting question, made me think.

petra Wed 28-Mar-18 15:09:29

My daughter has inherited my excellent taste in clothes, shoes, bags and makeup grin my mother was also a very stylish woman.
But oh, where did my granddaughter come from?
The look goes between bag lady and trollop sad
Thank goodness my grandson has taste. He favours the American 'preppy' look.
My daughter and I get a bit worried now when the granddaughter says "ooh, you look nice"
We think: oh god no, (name) likes it grin

gillybob Wed 28-Mar-18 15:44:55

None at all thank goodness. Both of my children are confident and neither have inherited my horrible "half empty" (negative) attitude to everything.

gillybob Wed 28-Mar-18 15:47:28

My little grandson (8) is really quite vain (where he gets that from I have no idea at all, as his father, my son is anything but). He can't pass a mirror without admiring himself and running his fingers through his hair. I have even caught him winking at himself. Yikes. shock

Harris27 Thu 29-Mar-18 10:05:31

I sometimes see myself in my grandughter quiet a little shy and eager to please. I feel for her as she realises the world is a big place . She has room to grow and I will be there to support her.

Grandma70s Thu 29-Mar-18 10:20:43

One of my sons has inherited my ‘punctuality anxiety’. We are often early,
but never late for anything. We think people who are late are rude and inconsiderate.

The other son does not have this at all, but of course growing up and having to be on time for work have meant he has improved a lot. He was often late for school.

GabriellaG Thu 29-Mar-18 10:23:33

I am stronger minded than any of my 5 and don't rely on approbation from anyone unlike a couple of my children. The eldest D has some of my looks but her father's mild manner. Eldest son is very clever and well read (somewhat like me but much more so) but can be swayed, which can't be said of me. The next two are like father in looks but somewhat mildly controlling, which is not like either parent)
The youngest D has father's height, can be generous but is wilful and not a good manager of time, money or temperament, not like me, but does have a disregard for convention which is often my way.
A real mixture all round.
Eldest son and I are the only ones who read a lot and who are picky about English language and clothes.

GabriellaG Thu 29-Mar-18 10:26:28

Harris27

What a nice comment. I hope you and your GD enjoy the journey together. flowers

Coconut Thu 29-Mar-18 10:41:49

All 3 look like me, they are excellent parents unlike their father ... all 3 are extremely generous people, unlike their father ... but they do have his confidence and have all become high flyers. They all love designer clothes which I take responsibility for ! But most of all I love hearing them say silly little things to their kids that I said to them when small ... we are all very close and can talk about anything, I always encouraged that as I never had that with my Mum.

Kim19 Thu 29-Mar-18 10:51:35

This interests me greatly. Everyone says my sons look so like my husband. These lads look absolutely nothing like each other. Radically different. I can only assume people see mannerisms or attitudes? Certainly not physical similarities. Any thoughts, please?

Sheilasue Thu 29-Mar-18 10:57:20

Well my d is strong willed, independent and kind which is exactly what I am. But her dad is very clever with money, and thinks things over before he rushes into anything which is our d too. So bit of both I think.

goldengirl Thu 29-Mar-18 11:01:27

DS is a worrier - and can see a problem before it might happen [just like me], is a good planner though [like me] but takes on too much [also like me!]
DD has my temperament [up and down like me] and is very good at organising [much better than me]
DH is the calming influence in our family - he and I are chalk and cheese really! Perhaps that's why we're still together.

icanhandthemback Thu 29-Mar-18 11:02:20

My children have got all my best bits and all their father's worst bits! wink

cwasin Thu 29-Mar-18 11:08:19

After spending a day with me, DGD, aged two and a half had everyone at home in stitches when she said ‘What the dickens!’ I dread to think what other things I’ve said that she might repeat.